The Israel Defense Forces is carrying out a series of arrests in Judea and Samaria, in the Jenin sub-district, the cities of Tulkarm and Nablus, and the villages of Urif, Qabatiya, and Jaba in recent hours.
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At least 12 arrests were made, three of them in Jenin, and a number of people were wounded in the east of Nablus during clashes with Israeli security forces, according to Palestinian media reports.
In addition, the Palestinian Health Ministry said at least 11 Palestinians were wounded in clashes with Israeli security forces in eastern Nablus, near Joseph's Tomb.
Early Wednesday morning, a Samaria Regional Council construction team secretly entered the Joseph's Tomb compound with an IDF escort and repaired the damage incurred by Palestinian vandals there.
On Tuesday, IDF fighters, Shin Bet security agents, and Border Police officers operated at a number of places, including the villages of Zeita, Yamun, al-Khader, Balata, Beit Kahil, and Azun Atme. At the same time, forces also operated in the city of Jenin and its surrounding villages. IDF fighters fired at terrorists throwing explosive devices.
Given the tense security situation and the fact that the Passover Seder is set to fall on the second Friday of Ramadan, the Israel Police have directed hotels across the country to ramp up security. The move stems from concern terrorist organizations are planning a repeat of the 2002 attack that killed 30 and wounded 140 guests celebrating the holiday at a Netanya hotel.
"Such a scenario has been taken into account, but there is no specific information or specific intelligence," Police official Shlomi Toledano said Tuesday. "In the end, we are all burned by the attack that took place at the Park Hotel."
In addition to hotels, the police have also directed local authority leaders and the proprietors of recreational venues to increase security and remain on increased alert in crowded places throughout the 9-day holiday.
Police districts across the country will be reinforced by police academy recruits as well as the 1,300 IDF soldiers loaned out to the police to contend with the tense security situation.
"I call on citizens to go out and have a good time," Toledano said. "Every call to the police hotline will be handled. I hope the holiday will pass peacefully. When the public enjoys itself, the police officers are on alert."
Tensions are particularly high in Jerusalem and mixed Jewish-Arab cities. Police have however detected a certain calming of tensions in the Nablus area in recent days, which they attributed to targeted arrests of inciters.
"A majority of Muslims want the holiday to pass quiet," Toledano said.
Jerusalem District Police are on high alert ahead of the gathering of thousands of worshipers at the Western Wall to attend a special priestly blessing prayer during the Passover holiday. Christian worshippers are also expected to hold processions throughout the Old City, culminating in a pre-Easter Holy Fire ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
Around 3,000 officers have been tasked with securing the city that is set to see between tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of visitors in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, the deputy leader of the Islamic Movement's Northern Branch Kamal al-Khatib on Tuesday issued a warning after the Temple Mount Faithful Movement offered a cash prize to anyone who succeeds in performing a ritual Passover sacrifice at the site Friday.
Al Khatib said a ritual sacrifice "at Al-Aqsa would be highly dangerous and pose blatant injury to Muslim sentiments. Likewise, this would be a substantial leap in the arrogance of the occupation government."
He said the Israeli government had clearly not learned its lesson, "and all this incitement and harassment of the Al-Aqsa Mosque will lead to an escalation and pour oil on the fire."
Al Khatib emphasized the Palestinian people would not accept the violation of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Ramadan, and the sanctity of Friday. "Every escalation against Al-Aqsa in the coming days is not the responsibility of the Naftali Bennett government," but rather the fault its supporters in the Islamist Ra'am party "led by Mansour Abbas, without which this government would not exist."
The Hamas terrorist organization's political bureau also warned against the move on Twitter, saying the "settlers' attempts to invade Al-Aqsa" and make sacrifices in its courtyards were tantamount to "playing with fire."
Along the security fence, efforts to locate Palestinians illegally entering Israel continue apace. Like the IDF, the Israel Police has reported a significant decrease in the entry of undocumented Palestinians into Israel.
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